Process for the addition of organic acids to acetylenic compounds contained in inorganic or organic hydrocarbon streams

Abstract

A method is disclosed for removing the small fractions of acetylenic compounds from a mixed hydrocarbon stream, the improvement consisting in that said stream is treated with an organic acid in the presence of an acidic ion-exchange resin, preferably an --SO 3 H containing resin, the acidic groups of said resin having totally been exchanged with alkali metal ions or alkaline earth metal ions. Acetic acid (glacial, anhydrous) is the preferred acid.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A method for the removal of acetylenic compounds contained in inorganic or organic hydrocarbon streams, characterized in that an organic acid is added to said acetylenic compounds in the presence of an acidic ion-exchange resin, the acidic groups of which have been totally exchanged with both mercuric ions and ions of alkali metal or alkaline earth metals. 
     
     
       2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic ion-exhange resin contains sulphonic acid groups (--SO 3  H) before it is exchanged with mercuric ions and ions of alkali metals or alkaline earth metals. 
     
     
       3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the sulphonic acid groups are supported on polystyrene, phenolic, divinylbenzene resins or admixtures thereof. 
     
     
       4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic ion-exchange resin contains carboxyl groups (--COOH) before it is exchanged with mercuric ions of alkali of alkali with metals. 
     
     
       5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the carboxyl groups are supported on acrylate resins. 
     
     
       6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mercuric ions are added to the resins in the form of mercury salts. 
     
     
       7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the mercury salts are selected from the group consisting of mercury nitrate and mercury acetate. 
     
     
       8. A method according to claim, 1 wherein the ions of the alkali metals, or alkaline earth metals are added to the resin in the form of their salts or hydroxides. 
     
     
       9. A method according to claims, 1 wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature ranging between 20° C and 120° C. 
     
     
       10. A method according to claim, 1, wherein the addition reaction is carried out in the liquid phase. 
     
     
       11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the addition reaction is carried out in the gaseous phase. 
     
     
       12. A method for the stripping of acetylene, propyne, 1-butyne, 2-butyne, vinylacetylene and diacetylene from a hydrocarbon stream composed by ethylene, propylene and butadiene, either alone or admixed with other saturated and/or unsaturated hydrocarbons having the same number of carbon atoms, characterized in that said stripping is carried out by a reaction according to claim 1, and the vinyl esters and/or the gem-diesters thus obtained are removed by rectification. 
     
     
       13. A method for stripping acetylene from a hydrocarbon stream composed by ethylene, either alone or admixed with ethane and/or uncondensable gases, characterized in that said stripping is carried out by a reaction of addition according to claim 1 and the vinyl ester an/or the gem-diester thus obtained are them removed by rectification. 
     
     
       14. A method for removing propyne from a hydrocarbon stream composed by propylene alone or admixed with other saturated and/or unsaturated hydrocarbons having the same number of carbon atoms, characterized in that said removal is carried out by an addition reaction according to claims 1 and the obtained vinyl ester and/or gem-diester is then removed by rectification. 
     
     
       15. A method for removing propyne, 1-butyne, 2-butyne, vinylacetylene, diacetylene from a hydrocarbon stream composed by butadiene either alone or in admixture with other saturated and/or unsaturated hydrocarbons having the same number of carbon atoms, characterized in that said removal is carried out by an addition reaction according to claim 1 and thus obtained vinyl esters and/or gem-diesters are subsequently removed by rectification.